


Did not expect a specter

by dramaticinsanity



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Autumn, Ghost Cisco, Hopeful Ending, I Don't Even Know, M/M, halloween-ish, some kind of AU, tragic (kind of)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-15
Updated: 2018-10-15
Packaged: 2019-08-02 18:32:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,606
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16310486
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dramaticinsanity/pseuds/dramaticinsanity
Summary: Harry started taking a new route home, drawn to a mysterious man, who was not what he seemed.His hand... It was so cold.





	Did not expect a specter

**Author's Note:**

> The warning is mostly a precaution and not as bad as it seems. Title is from Little Ghost by The White Stripes.

Harry sipped his coffee as he walked down the path. He didn’t usually walk home from work, but this was the first autumn he was spending without….

He wanted to appreciate the scenery. He wanted to have more time to himself to think. He gazed up at the trees, whose leaves were turning and beautiful. The wind rustled the branches, sending some leaves fluttering to the ground. His soft sweater protected him from the creeping chill in the air. 

Harry grabbed a particularly large, multi-colored one and turned it over in his hand. He set down his coffee for a moment. He carefully slipped the leaf in the pocket on the inside of his jacket. Maybe he could take up pressing leaves as a hobby. Jesse was always on him about finding things to do aside from work and doting on her.

She was wise for a child. He plucked his coffee from the ancient road and continued onward. A woman on a phone passed him. Her dog, a yorkshire terrier, appeared to be leading the walk more than her, but she was too involved in the call to seem concerned.

She didn’t acknowledge him, nor did he try to speak to her. He watched her disappear into the distance, as she took a turn in the path.

There was once a time where strangers always gave greetings, though Harry thought he might’ve been a boy as that era was coming to a close. It wasn’t that people were more paranoid, anxious, or interested in their phones -- it certainly contributed but -- they just didn’t care to pretend to be interested.

He didn’t care to pretend. He didn’t care when Tess was alive, for she wasn’t unlike him. They were peas in a pod, good together but not good for each other. It’s only gotten worse since he lost her. It’s all the further that he’s turned in on himself.

His daughter thankfully hadn’t glimpsed the potential of his self-destruction. He teetered on the edge of control and chaos.

Eventually, the distant noises of the city faded. The only sounds were from the wind and crunching of leaves under his heavy boots. 

He passed a bench.

“Hello stranger,” called the voice. He stopped. He wanted to keep going, but something he couldn’t explain compelled him to take pause. He soaked in the deep honeyed voice.

He faced the source of the voice. The bench itself was beautiful, probably installed there ages ago. Someone had kept after it. However, the bench’s design paled in comparison to the naturally made beauty of the man on the bench.

He swallowed thickly.

“I’m Cisco Ramon,” the other man offered with a grin. Harry knew was done for, because that was the most pure and radiant smile he had ever seen.

His late wife had a nice laugh, like bells, the only soft thing about her. She was hardened, fierce, and prickly, like him. She was also clever, and she smirked more than smiled.

This was… this was something else. He wanted to make poetry about it. He wanted to take a picture and put it on the ceiling so he could wake up to it every morning. Harry never believed in love at first sight. What he was experiencing though, it wasn’t just lust. He didn’t know this man, but he wanted to learn all about him.

At first, Harry made a sound that was half-whine, half-choke. He checked that no one else was around to witness his foolishness.

“I’m - I’m. Labs - I mean Doctor - I.” He took a deep breath. What the hell was he even saying? It was barely English. “I’m Dr. Harrison Wells. I run STAR Labs. I have a daughter named Jesse and she’s -”

Now he’s just word vomiting. At least he hadn’t mentioned the army or Tess.

“Nice to meet you,” Cisco murmured. “Harry.”

Cisco was still smiling at him, placidly. As though he had all the time in the world and no earthly worries. Harry sighed and brushed a hand over his face. He shoved his hands in his pockets and sat down beside him.

It was that moment he realized that Cisco had used his nickname. He had allowed very few people in his life to know of it, much less utter it. Even Tess herself hadn’t -

“It’s… Harrison. Or Dr. Wells.”

“I like Harry. It suits you. Plus, Harrison is kind of a mouthful, and Dr. Wells is too formal for my taste.”

Harry rolled his eyes slightly, but he didn’t protest. “Suit yourself.”

“Mind if I sit here? I just - the air’s - nice.” The company wasn’t so bad either, but Harry decided not to mention that. He also didn’t mention he thought Cisco was the most handsome man he’d ever seen.

“Thanks,” Cisco replied. Then his eyes widened as though he’d made a grievous mistake. Harry raised his eyebrow.

“I mean. Sorry, I misheard. Sure, it’s fine!” Cisco laughed nervously and tipped his head back. His hair shifted and exposed his neck further. Harry’s lips twitched. He could almost smile.

They talked for what ended up being hours. The sun went down. He hurried home before it got too dark, apologized to the babysitter and paid an extra fee.

He started taking the path every day. As luck would have it, Cisco was there every day like clockwork. Like a special gift waiting for him. Except that sounded selfish.

He probably had a life, a significant other, maybe children or a dog. He wasn’t Harry’s.

Halloween was approaching when he asked, “How do you celebrate?”

Cisco shrugged. “When I was a - I give out the only candy in the world I don’t like because I would eat it myself otherwise.”

Harry had learned Cisco had a sweet-tooth, so this reply was unsurprising. Cisco had mentioned that he used to always carry a pocketful of licorice or lollipops. Harry was curious why he didn’t anymore, but he didn’t ask. He figured it must be health issues, or someone in his life worried about his teeth or his sugar intake.

“Then I watch a bad horror movie and a good one, lots of popcorn, probably mess around in my little home workshop because I won’t be able to sleep well afterward.”

“No parties?”

Cisco’s lip twitched. Unlike Harry, he did crack a smile. He leaned close to Harry and lowered his voice like he was sharing a secret, “If I’m bored I might crash a few. Frighten them with my uh - my costume.”

“Must be a good costume.”

Cisco nodded. “How about you?”

“Well. I have a ten year old daughter. Trick-or-treating. I hoped she would decide she’s too old for it this year - but alas. She has not yet taken a preference for intellectual pursuits over pointless frolic that results in a sugar high - then a crash - then cavities.”

Cisco snorted. “Sounds like you’d be a lot of fun at parties.”

“I don’t do them. Period. Except business related things. Even then, I try to bail at as early as possible or find an excuse to avoid them.”

“I’m. Not shocked. But man, I mean this in the nicest way, you need a life.”

Harry stared into his warm eyes. “What is a life without someone to share it with?”

“Still valid. But I’m - I can’t deny. I wish I had someone - someone to - keep me warm. At night.”

Cisco suddenly looked painfully sad, on the verge of tears. Cisco bit his lip and slowly shook his head. Harry wasn’t certain how he should act in this situation. He covered Cisco’s hand in his. Cisco blinked at him through tears.

His hand… it was so cold. He squeezed it, and then he rubbed it between both of his, but still it would not warm. Cisco made a pleased noise and laid his head on Harry’s shoulder. He barely noticed the lack of the amount of weight and warmth there should be, fixated as he was on Cisco’s softness and handsome visage.

He wanted to kiss him. He didn’t want to ruin the moment. Harry kept his feelings to himself.

“Life is too short,” Cisco muttered as they were about to part. “Cherish your daughter. Find someone to hold. I know you can. Don’t wait - you don’t want to be alone when the end comes. Don’t be like - like some people.”

Harry tried to shake the puzzled fuzziness in his head to no avail. Cisco’s words stuck with him. Something was just off, about everything… or nothing. He couldn’t wrap his head around what was bothering him as he tried to fall asleep. His brain had its hooks in an idea, but it would not surface from the murky depths.

He missed a few days leading up to trick-or-treat night. After hitting a good number of houses, they got near the familiar path.

Jesse pointed, “Let’s go here!”

Harry opened his mouth to protest. Jesse dragged him along like an eager puppy before he could get a word out. So, they went through the woods.

Harry suddenly had an uncomfortable feeling in the pit of his stomach. The full moon was out. He silently blamed it on that. They reached the fork in the path. Harry looked down and for the first time noticed how overrun the path forward was by nature, while the left turn was well-worn.

Jesse followed his gaze. “A kid at school heard from his big brother that this old road is haunted. She says an evil wizard brought his victims here, and he stopped their hearts by squeezing them with his fist. Silly right?”

She looked at him for guidance. He was at a loss for words. Plus, he was annoyed she had heard about such a gruesome legend.

“Wizards aren’t real. No one can put their hand inside your chest without - erm - tools.”

“OK.” She stared at the crooked tree that he had thought of as a landmark. Carved in the bark it said _E. Thawne was here._ Below were several other names. He had never taken the time to read them. He activated the flashlight on his phone and looked.

At the very bottom was _C. Ramon. I know the truth. Thawne won’t hurt anyone else._

Harry blinked rapidly and rubbed his eyes. It was still there. He wasn’t seeing things. Except - no it couldn’t be real. Eobard Thawne had been a serial killer a few years back. He had apparently started with a boy and his mother, leading into an unstoppable rampage. Until he disappeared without a trace one day. No one could figure out how he made their hearts stop without any of the usual means - there were no signs present.

It was like he could phase his hand through their chests and -

Harry jumped when an owl hooted from the tree. Jesse giggled.

No. Not real. Impossible. He shut off the light on his phone. He took a deep breath, tried to center himself. He still felt off balance and covered in goosebumps despite himself.

He had to make certain he hadn’t hallucinated the whole thing at least. Despite his instincts telling him to go left, he went straight.

His daughter clung to his hand tightly. This was a bad idea. They came up on the bench. Cisco was sitting there, batting at the occasional leaves that fell down, with the same gorgeous smile plastered on his face.

“Cisco. Did you - did you really stop Thawne.”

Cisco blinked at him. Once. Twice. Thrice. “Huh?”

“The tree.”

“Daddy --”

“Not now.”

“Oh that,” Cisco replied. “Um. Yeah. At a cost. But at least he’s gone. They’ll find him in the river in about a week.”

“How do you -”

Jesse made an irritated noise. “Daddy! Who are you talking to?!”

Harry glanced at her, not comprehending her question at first. “Cisco Ramon. He’s right there on the bench sweetie. Don’t worry he’s my friend.”

Jesse sniffed. Was she crying? Why was she crying. She only cried when she was concerned about his well being like when he had a panic attack -

In the most solemn voice he had ever heard her use, “There’s no one there daddy.”

There’s no one there.

Harry could see him as plain as day. He reached out, held his palm as an offering. Cisco dropped his own in Harry’s with a gentle smile. It was too gentle. His hand was frigid as always, never able to be warmed.

“Cisco,” Harry said, his voice strained and heavy with emotion.

“Thought you would’ve figured it out sooner,” Cisco sighed. He stroked Harry’s knuckles.

“Why can I - why - you’re a - g - g -”

It wasn’t possible. The first person he was starting to fall in love with... and all for nothing.

“Daddy are you havin’ a stroke?”

Harry shuddered. The hand he held seemed so real, but it was lifeless. It was a mirage.

“I’m fine.”

Harry scooped Jesse into his arms and ran in the other direction. He heard Cisco calling after him, but he didn’t look back.

In the morning, he woke in a daze. He barely remembered going through his morning routine, his mind slow and racing at the same time. He got his coffee, and out of habit he went down his abandoned path. He should’ve turned around and went to work, but his feet would not obey that sensible part of him.

He stared at the crooked tree. He read the names again to make sure that wasn’t a fever dream.

“Worried I wouldn’t see you again,” Cisco remarked in lieu of greeting.

“Here I am.” Harry struggled to find something to say rather than stupidly staring at him. “What happened?”

“Thawne. He tried to kill me, but we both went tumbling off the bridge. The one you cross to get out of here and home.”

Harry hated that creepy, rickety bridge that no one had maintained in a century. It was worth seeing Cisco’s smile every day though.

“He was a monster you know. He killed a child. And the father is still in prison blamed for their murder. I tried to bring him to justice but - things didn’t go my way. Obviously.”

The cogs of Harry’s troubled brain processed the information. It was still unbelievable. He wanted to ask if Cisco knew how Thawne did it. He didn’t think Cisco would appreciate that line of questioning, and honestly, he wasn’t sure he wanted to know.

Instead he settled on the biggest mystery. “Why can I see you?”

“That… I have no clue. A special connection? Maybe we were supposed to be - something. When I was alive. Maybe it still counts since I haven’t moved on,” Cisco awkwardly replied, rubbing his thighs.

There were other questions. Could he read minds? Did he see the future? Was he lonely? But those didn’t seem important enough. He might not have to time to find out. He didn’t waste time.

“Are you going to move on?” Please don’t, Harry wanted to scream. He wanted Cisco to stay with him until the end.

“Dunno. I’ve been trying to make things right. Henry Allen, the boy’s father, still in prison. Caitlin Snow, my friend who became a different person after her husband was killed by Thawne. The list goes on.”

Harry wouldn’t cry. However, his eyes prickled. It was just fall allergies. Mostly.

“I could help you.”

“You should live your life.”

“Maybe I want to live it with the dead. With my little ghost.”

Cisco chuckled. “I can’t say I would mind.”

Harry leaned in and kissed Cisco’s cold lips. Cisco kissed back, with the passion of someone who still had a beating heart.


End file.
